Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Source: "Constitution". World Health Organization. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. Health can be promoted by encouraging healthful activities, such as regular
History
The meaning of health has evolved over time. In keeping with the
Just as there was a shift from viewing disease as a state to thinking of it as a process, the same shift happened in definitions of health. Again, the WHO played a leading role when it fostered the development of the health promotion movement in the 1980s. This brought in a new conception of health, not as a state, but in dynamic terms of resiliency, in other words, as "a resource for living". In 1984, WHO revised the definition of health defined it as "the extent to which an individual or group is able to realize aspirations and satisfy needs and to change or cope with the environment. Health is a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living; it is a positive concept, emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."[5] Thus, health referred to the ability to maintain homeostasis and recover from adverse events. Mental, intellectual, emotional and social health referred to a person's ability to handle stress, to acquire skills, to maintain relationships, all of which form resources for resiliency and independent living.[4] This opens up many possibilities for health to be taught, strengthened and learned.
Since the late 1970s, the federal Healthy People Program has been a visible component of the United States' approach to improving population health.[6] In each decade, a new version of Healthy People is issued,[7] featuring updated goals and identifying topic areas and quantifiable objectives for health improvement during the succeeding ten years, with assessment at that point of progress or lack thereof. Progress has been limited to many objectives, leading to concerns about the effectiveness of Healthy People in shaping outcomes in the context of a decentralized and uncoordinated US health system. Healthy People 2020 gives more prominence to health promotion and preventive approaches and adds a substantive focus on the importance of addressing social determinants of health. A new expanded digital interface facilitates use and dissemination rather than bulky printed books as produced in the past. The impact of these changes to Healthy People will be determined in the coming years.[8]
Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by
In the first decade of the 21st century, the conceptualization of health as an ability opened the door for self-assessments to become the main indicators to judge the performance of efforts aimed at improving human health.[10] It also created the opportunity for every person to feel healthy, even in the presence of multiple chronic diseases or a terminal condition, and for the re-examination of determinants of health (away from the traditional approach that focuses on the reduction of the prevalence of diseases).[11]
Determinants
In general, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for both his health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of
More specifically, key factors that have been found to influence whether people are healthy or unhealthy include the following:[12][13][14]
|
|
An increasing number of studies and reports from different organizations and contexts examine the linkages between health and different factors, including lifestyles, environments,
The concept of the "health field," as distinct from medical care, emerged from the Lalonde report from Canada. The report identified three interdependent fields as key determinants of an individual's health. These are:[14]
- Biomedical: all aspects of health, physical and mental, developed within the human body as influenced by genetic make-up.
- Environmental: all matters related to health external to the human body and over which the individual has little or no control;
- Lifestyle: the aggregation of personal decisions (i.e., over which the individual has control) that can be said to contribute to, or cause, illness or death;
The maintenance and promotion of health is achieved through different combination of physical, mental, and social well-being—a combination sometimes referred to as the "health triangle."[18] The WHO's 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion further stated that health is not just a state, but also "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."[19]
Focusing more on lifestyle issues and their relationships with functional health, data from the
If you want to learn about the health of a population, look at the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the places where they live.[22][23]
— Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, 5th Century BC
The environment is often cited as an important factor influencing the health status of individuals. This includes characteristics of the
Potential issues
A number of health issues are common around the globe. Disease is one of the most common. According to GlobalIssues.org, approximately 36 million people die each year from non-communicable (i.e., not contagious) diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease.[28]
Among communicable diseases, both viral and bacterial,
Another health issue that causes death or contributes to other health problems is malnutrition, especially among children. One of the groups malnutrition affects most is young children. Approximately 7.5 million children under the age of 5 die from malnutrition, usually brought on by not having the money to find or make food.[28]
Bodily injuries are also a common health issue worldwide. These injuries, including bone fractures and burns, can reduce a person's quality of life or can cause fatalities including infections that resulted from the injury (or the severity injury in general).[28]
Lifestyle choices are contributing factors to poor health in many cases. These include smoking cigarettes, and can also include a poor diet, whether it is overeating or an overly constrictive diet. Inactivity can also contribute to health issues and also a lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, and neglect of oral hygiene.[citation needed] There are also genetic disorders that are inherited by the person and can vary in how much they affect the person (and when they surface).[citation needed]
Although the majority of these health issues are preventable, a major contributor to global ill health is the fact that approximately 1 billion people lack access to health care systems.[28] Arguably, the most common and harmful health issue is that a great many people do not have access to quality remedies.[29]
Mental health
The World Health Organization describes mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community".[30] Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness.[31]
Mental illness is described as 'the spectrum of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral conditions that interfere with social and emotional well-being and the lives and productivity of people.[32] Having a mental illness can seriously impair, temporarily or permanently, the mental functioning of a person. Other terms include: 'mental health problem', 'illness', 'disorder', 'dysfunction'.[33]
Approximately twenty percent of all adults in the US are considered diagnosable with a mental disorder. Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada. Examples of these disorders include
Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:[35]
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Family history of mental health problems
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
Maintaining
Achieving and maintaining health is an ongoing process, shaped by both the evolution of health care knowledge and practices as well as personal strategies and organized interventions for staying healthy.
Diet
An important way to maintain one's personal health is to have a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes a variety of plant-based and animal-based foods that provide
The
Exercise
Sleep
Sleep is an essential component to maintaining health. In children, sleep is also vital for growth and development. Ongoing sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk for some chronic health problems. In addition, sleep deprivation has been shown to correlate with both increased susceptibility to illness and slower recovery times from illness.[47] In one study, people with chronic insufficient sleep, set as six hours of sleep a night or less, were found to be four times more likely to catch a cold compared to those who reported sleeping for seven hours or more a night.[48] Due to the role of sleep in regulating metabolism, insufficient sleep may also play a role in weight gain or, conversely, in impeding weight loss.[49] Additionally, in 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is the cancer research agency for the World Health Organization, declared that "shiftwork that involves circadian disruption is probably carcinogenic to humans", speaking to the dangers of long-term nighttime work due to its intrusion on sleep.[50] In 2015, the National Sleep Foundation released updated recommendations for sleep duration requirements based on age, and concluded that "Individuals who habitually sleep outside the normal range may be exhibiting signs or symptoms of serious health problems or, if done volitionally, may be compromising their health and well-being."[51]
Age and condition | Sleep needs |
---|---|
Newborns (0–3 months) | 14 to 17 hours |
Infants (4–11 months) | 12 to 15 hours |
Toddlers (1–2 years) | 11 to 14 hours |
Preschoolers (3–5 years) | 10 to 13 hours |
School-age children (6–13 years) | 9 to 11 hours |
Teenagers (14–17 years) | 8 to 10 hours |
Adults (18–64 years) | 7 to 9 hours |
Older Adults (65 years and over) | 7 to 8 hours |
Role of science
Organized interventions to improve health based on the principles and procedures developed through the health sciences are provided by practitioners trained in
Role of medicine and medical science
Contemporary medicine is in general conducted within
From ancient times, Christian emphasis on practical charity gave rise to the development of systematic nursing and hospitals and the
Most tribal societies provide no guarantee of healthcare for the population as a whole.[54] In such societies, healthcare is available to those that can afford to pay for it or have self-insured it (either directly or as part of an employment contract) or who may be covered by care financed by the government or tribe directly.
Transparency of information is another factor defining a delivery system. Access to information on conditions, treatments, quality, and pricing greatly affects the choice by patients/consumers and, therefore, the incentives of medical professionals. While the US healthcare system has come under fire for lack of openness,[55] new legislation may encourage greater openness. There is a perceived tension between the need for transparency on the one hand and such issues as patient confidentiality and the possible exploitation of information for commercial gain on the other.
Delivery
Provision of medical care is classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary care categories.[56]
Modern medical care also depends on information – still delivered in many health care settings on paper records, but increasingly nowadays by electronic means.
In low-income countries, modern healthcare is often too expensive for the average person. International healthcare policy researchers have advocated that "user fees" be removed in these areas to ensure access, although even after removal, significant costs and barriers remain.[59]
Separation of prescribing and dispensing is a practice in medicine and pharmacy in which the physician who provides a medical prescription is independent from the pharmacist who provides the prescription drug. In the Western world there are centuries of tradition for separating pharmacists from physicians. In Asian countries, it is traditional for physicians to also provide drugs.[60]
Role of public health
Public health has been described as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals."
The focus of public health interventions is to prevent and manage diseases, injuries and other health conditions through surveillance of cases and the
The great positive impact of public health programs is widely acknowledged. Due in part to the policies and actions developed through public health, the 20th century registered a decrease in the mortality rates for
Self-care strategies
Personal health depends partially on the active, passive, and assisted cues people observe and adopt about their own health. These include personal actions for preventing or minimizing the effects of a disease, usually a chronic condition, through
Personal health also depends partially on the social structure of a person's life. The maintenance of strong social relationships, volunteering, and other social activities have been linked to positive mental health and also increased longevity. One American study among seniors over age 70, found that frequent volunteering was associated with reduced risk of dying compared with older persons who did not volunteer, regardless of physical health status.[67] Another study from Singapore reported that volunteering retirees had significantly better cognitive performance scores, fewer depressive symptoms, and better mental well-being and life satisfaction than non-volunteering retirees.[68]
Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact health, and has been cited as a factor in cognitive impairment with aging, depressive illness, and expression of disease.[69] Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress. Relaxation techniques are physical methods used to relieve stress. Psychological methods include cognitive therapy, meditation, and positive thinking, which work by reducing response to stress. Improving relevant skills, such as problem solving and time management skills, reduces uncertainty and builds confidence, which also reduces the reaction to stress-causing situations where those skills are applicable.
Occupational
In addition to
As the number of
Many governments view occupational health as a social challenge and have formed public organizations to ensure the health and safety of workers. Examples of these include the British Health and Safety Executive and in the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which conducts research on occupational health and safety, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which handles regulation and policy relating to worker safety and health.[71]
See also
- Disease burden – Impact of diseases
- Environmental health – Public health branch focused on environmental impacts on human health
- Healing – Process of the restoration of health
- Health equity – Study and causes of differences in the quality of health and healthcare
- Human enhancement – Natural, artificial, or technological alteration of the human body
- List of health and wellness podcasts
- Men's health – physical, mental, and social well-being, as experienced by men
- One Health – collaborative global initiative to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment
- Population health – Health outcomes of a group of individuals
- Women's health – Broad subject that encompasses all facets of women's health
- Youth health– range of approaches to preventing, detecting or treating young people’s health risks and issues
References
- ^ CDC (2021-04-05). "Benefits of Physical Activity". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
- S2CID 1748896.
- ISBN 9789241560146.
- ^ a b "Part 1 – Theory: Thinking About Health Chapter 1 Concepts of Health and Illness". phprimer.afmc.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe (1984). Health promotion : a discussion document on the concept and principles : summary report of the Working Group on Concept and Principles of Health Promotion, Copenhagen, 9–13 July 1984 (ICP/HSR 602(m01)5 p). Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.
- PMID 23358287.
- "United Nations Global Issues". Un.org. Archived from the original on 2016-06-08.
- "The Top 10 Global Health Issues to Watch in 2013". Intrahealth.org. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
- "Insuring America's Health: Principles and Recommendations". Institute of Medicine at the National Academies of Science. 14 Jan 2004. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009.
- "The Case For Single Payer, Universal Health Care for the United States". Cthealth.server101.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
- HSE (Health and Safety Executive of Great Britain) Skin at work Retrieved on June 20, 2009
- "Skin Exposure & Effects". NIOSH Topics. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- "The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- "Occupational Safety and Health Administration". U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- "Health and Safety Executive". U.K. Health and Safety Executive. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
External links
- Media related to Health at Wikimedia Commons